CLARION, Pa. --- The Golden Eagles women's basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak with a convincing home win on Saturday, beating Pitt-Johnstown 80-63 in front of the home fans at Tippin Gymnasium. A balanced scoring effort was the story of the day for the Golden Eagles, with two players cracking the 20-point mark in the victory.
 
Malayziah Etheredge and Arianna Seitz were the key offensive players for Clarion, with the pair both scoring better than 20 points against the Mountain Cats. Etheredge came off the bench for a game-high 24 points, displaying a diverse offensive game en route to an 8-of-13 shooting performance. She showed the ability to drive to the hoop as well as hit the long ball, finishing 2-of-4 from three-point range. Seitz, meanwhile, went 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range for 20 points. Both players also chipped in six rebounds, tying for the team high with Madison Palek.
 
Rebounds turned out to be one of the most lopsided categories in the game. Clarion beat the Mountain Cats 45-32 on the boards, with the Golden Eagles grabbing as many offensive rebounds (17) as the Mountain Cats had defensive boards. Conversely they nearly doubled up UPJ on their own glass, beating them 28-15 on Mountain Cat shots.
 
The Golden Eagles got off to a slow start but put their foot on the gas as the first half went on. The Mountain Cats led 11-6 midway through the first quarter but Clarion responded with a 14-3 run over the final five minutes of the period, starting with a fast break three-pointer from Seitz. She scored on the next trip down the floor as well, laying it in to even up the score, and Seitz drained another three-pointer with 3:14 to play to make it a 14-11 advantage. Autumn Taylor – who turned in a 15-point performance of her own – capped the scoring in the first quarter, making a bucket late to make it 20-14.
 
Taylor struck again early in the second quarter to give Clarion a double-digit lead, scoring on the fast break after Alyssa Terza forced a turnover. Terza contributed a three-pointer from the left wing to up the lead to 37-23, and Taylor struck from long range with 88 seconds left in the half to make it 45-31. Palek converted a shot in the waning moments of the second quarter, giving Clarion a 49-33 halftime lead.
 
The Mountain Cats were able to get the deficit down to single digits at one point in the third quarter but never seriously threatened the Golden Eagles' advantage, with Clarion keeping the lead around 13 points the rest of the way. Etheredge gave the Golden Eagles' their largest lead of the second half with 5:10 to play in the period, scoring on the fast break to make it 59-42, and she sank two free throws with roughly two seconds left in the third to make it a 13-point lead.
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